I would assign getting lettuce at any time of the year - any attempt to grow salad leaves or hostas results simply in providing a soup kitchen for slugs (since I try to garden organically and am rather fond of hedgepigs slug pellets are a no no.. and the eco friendly alternatives require a degree of vigilance I am not always able to maintain). I do have some roses still in the front garden which is rather fab - and I hope due to the sheltered south facing site rather than global warming.

The solution for slugs is to put out a saucer of beer! No joke! The slugs end up drinking themselves to death and don't bother your plants nearly as much. :p :D

I assign horrible weather, singing when no one's listening and filming silly scenes in a church.

:D

I assign bowls of free beer!! :D:D:D

j/k.

I assign stripes - I love stripes. Striped clothes, striped cars, striped carpet, striped graphix...plaid...they're just so cool. And they go places.

I assign hard packed snow you can slide on without a sled. It rocks.

Adoption and happy families. :)

Doing work you love.

Oil paint.

Naps.

Getting your last piece of coursework for the term in.

Spending an evening watching films with friends.

Planning Christmas activities.

I assign snowstorms that cancel all classes after 2pm on a day you really don't feel like going to class.

Finally, a snow day (err...rather, a half-day). :)

I assign winter vacation, and the things that follow from it:
-Taking long, hot baths in the middle of the day, while reading a book of one's own choice.
- Resting one's feet on the radiator and watching the spruce outside the window gradually droop under the weight of the snow.
- Banishing all textbooks, notebooks, etc. to a dark corner, out of sight, out of mind.

Somebody thinking enough to offer you a lift on what is really a freezing cold night. Restores your faith. :D

Going up farther north than north, even though it's amazingly windy out and the sea breeze is freezing you beyond recognition... Then to turn up in an obscure little coffee house (ex-boiler room), with many complete strangers.
Only to end up consuming large quantities of warm coffee, accordion and many more sounds and dancing with those complete strangers as if they are your kif and kin.

In short, having a bloody good time with Jason Webley and complete strangers. :)
It made the otherwise annoying trip through such weather all the more better.

~ Zima Ka

Getting back home after a very long term and decorating the house ready for Christmas! It's all so sparkly now. Also, rediscovering that houses are supposed to be warm! And of course, having food cooked for you completely free of charge (unless it be setting the table or washing up :D).

I assign having a nipper in the house at Christmas - it can only get better when I can start telling him about Father Christmas and how he much prefers a can of Guinness to a glass of sherry, how he won't leave any presents unless you keep your eyes closed tight shut all night and how the reindeer are powered by the magic of good girls and boys, so you need to be good to make sure the reindeers (sic) can get here...

...though I'm not looking forwards to being woken up at dawn and not being able to have a bacon sandwich before we open what Father Christmas has left...

I assign the Great Alaska Pizza Co. because it's wonderful pizza, almost no crust(we hates the crusssst). And sledding down a nice huge hill, steep and long, not tiny hills, sledding down the deck is pretty boring!

Going on the downs all day with the parents at work and no one to boss you around!

Fondu after the Chrismas Eve service with 80 proof Armangac (whew!) and Chardonnay .... and Pinot Noir (14%) :D on Christmas Day. Makes the cold feel not so ughy. :p

What I got for Christmas!

Ubuntu Linux.

Every problem I've ever had with Windows - all gone.

Having a family willing to do bizarre things such as sit round a table and ring bells when your number is called out. Where my mother finds these things I will never know but it was fun. :D

I assign to Shire
 

Not caring for any Christmas preparations but only sitting in tables already made... :)

Sitting down with people you don't sit down with everyday and eating well, drinking well, chatting well... feeling the belonging together of us, the generations together.

That's something I really love and honour.

The next year I have promised to hold the feast as my mom and her "boyfriend" (79 years) are getting a bit too old to organize these things (she refused my offer this year).

So the next Christmas I'm assigning to Shire making up the party for all others to enjoy.

My cousin, who lent me her pretty green dress to wear on Christmas Day (for reason why, see Mordor thread)

My bag, which finally turned up this evening after (probably) many adventures. We all sat round looking at it, wishing it could talk to tell us all the places it had been, and how it had spent Christmas...

The coming back to life -feeling you get after having been sick and hopeless.

I heartily second Volo's .

And add finding something pretty and frivolous you coveted full price while Christmas shopping and absolute snip in the sales.:D

Immodium.

My almost-ready and very pretty green ball gown... :D

Lysol 99% disinfectant. Beats the Mordor out of nauseating formalin...a bit.

Watching two of my very good friends finally get married yesterday.

Friends who bring you flowers when you're ill.

Realising that a huge work you've left to the last moment and you don't feel like doing at all isn't huge at all.

:D

Realising or deciding? :rolleyes:

A bunch of peeping tom neighbors who won't leave me alone!

Er, Groin, maybe a Dwarf wants to banish things he doesn't like to the Shire, but most folks around here generally assign things they like. Things they don't like tend to get assigned to Mordor. ;)

Maybe he likes it ;)

And Nogrod it is not fair to go parental on the Downs :D

I assign (for only about the third time in my life) having a hairstyle rather than just hair..

All the four posters above me really amuse me. :D

Anyway, I'd like to assign friends who send you snail mail (and if it features a penguin article, even better :D).

I don't think my neighbors are as bad as all that. I'd just like them anywhere but next to my home!

Maybe they could move in with the Sacksville-Baggins!:p

I assign Laurinque!(she is my friend from school) and a boy I nicknamed Beautiful!

Things just ... working. Getting work in in plenty of time, having a bus that drops you off at just exactly the right time, wandering around campus for a couple of hours doing everything you needed to get done and having friends who will do that with you and then agree to go to a new exercise class with you so you don't have to go on your own for the first time. :D

I like second year!

My little brothers (I have three of them), who have been unusually nice today.

One went to buy me some lemonade when I asked him. Another made me ice cream when I asked him. And the youngest took my dog for a walk when I complained it's too cold and dark and damp outside.

Whoa! That must be strange, I have a six year old little brother and he is a little terrorist! I can't believe what he does! I should assign him to Mordor!

Running water! How I miss it. :(

please thaw pipes, please thaw pipes, please thaw....

Well I suppose you could pray about it!!!!!!!! (that usually works for me!)

But on the subject! My director for the last play I was in! He is so awesome!